In Your Arms I'll Stay
by marauderluverz
Summary: The time has finally come for Ren and Kyoko to plan their wedding. But with only three months to plan, too many planners to deal with, and the media attention, how will Ren and Kyoko handle the sudden pressure to have a perfect wedding? 6th in my HoMH series
1. Prologue

Prologue: Surprise!

The LoveMe section was dark on that Sunday evening. All the lights were off and everyone was silent. Kyoko Mogami felt her fiancée take hold of her hand and give it a small squeeze. Even in the darkness she knew he was giving her one of his classic charming smiles that made girls swoon.

Just then there was the click of the door opening.

"I don't get it. Why do we have to go to the LoveMe section to meet Kyoko-chan?" Yukia Moore complained. But just as he stepped inside the room, James flicked the light switch from behind him and flooded the room with light.

"Surprise!" the cheer came from everyone at once. Well, almost everyone. Sho Fuwa sat in a chair against the wall and muttered an awkward cheer while everyone else shouted.

To be honest, he wasn't even sure why he was here. It just seemed that every time Kyoko invited him to something he wound up agreeing before he thought about it. _But I guess it isn't so bad._ He thought as he watched everyone crowd around an embarrassed Yukia.

"Kyoko-chan, thank you!" Yukia exclaimed, giving a hug to the actress.

Kyoko smiled, "I just thought that with your family being in Britain you might like to have a birthday party with your friends here." She explained.

"I really appreciate it." He said before rounding on James. "But you kept it a secret!" he scolded his boyfriend. "You knew and kept it a secret."

James laughed, "Well, what was I supposed to do? It was a surprise party." He gave a small wink that made Yukia blush. He couldn't even fake being mad at him. This was too fun of an occasion.

"There is cake," announced Kyoko cheerfully. As everyone moved to get a piece of cake, Kyoko noticed Ren slip out of the room with his phone to his ear.

"I'm sure he'll be right back." Yashiro commented to Kyoko quietly.

She nodded and handed him a piece of cake. Within a few minutes everyone in attendance had a piece of cake. Even Kanae had agreed to taking a small piece, although she made a face as she did so.

Kanae settled herself on the small couch next to Chiori, while Sho sat on a chair nearby. She watched as Ren re-entered the room and accepted a plate from his concerned fiancé. Soon conversation broke out between Kyoko, Ren, Yashiro, and the two British men. She found she much preferred to sit quietly and watch the exchanges instead of joining in.

"And I thought my manager was overzealous." Chiori commented.

Kanae followed the younger girl's line of sight and saw what she was referring to. Yukia had finished eating his cake but somehow had managed to cover his nose in frosting. James had dug out a handkerchief and was currently wiping the frosting from his charge's face.

Kanae suppressed a laugh. Of course the sight would look strange to someone who wasn't aware of the relationship between those two.

"They are kinda odd aren't they?" Sho commented, watching as Yukia blushed at James' actions.

"Oh! I think Kyoko-san mentioned something about that Yukia-kun's last manager was his mom. Maybe that's why James-san treats him like a kid." Chiori mused aloud.

Sho seemed to accept this answer. But nearby Kanae snorted. "I'm not so sure that's what it is." She muttered.

The other two looked at her curiously. "What do you mean?" Chiori asked.

But Kanae ignored her, moving across the room with her empty plate. She tossed it in the trash. "Thanks for the invite, Kyoko. Happy birthday, Yukia-kun." She called out before leaving the room.

Chiori and Sho looked at each other in confusion. Neither one of them quite understanding the other actress's words.

As the party finished, Kyoko gave Yukia another hug. "Happy birthday again," she told him. "Here's a present from Ren and me." She said handing him a small gift bag.

Yukia quickly unwrapped the gift and pulled out a gift certificate to a new fine dining restaurant that had recently opened.

He gasped, "But, Kyoko-chan, how? This place is booked up for the next six months."

Kyoko smiled, "It turns out that the owner is big fan of Tsuruga Ren. This certificate is good for any day you choose to go. She said when you show up they will get you the best table in a private room and the entire meal is covered."

Yukia gave her another hug. "This is really amazing, Kyoko-chan. I just hope we can get you something as special for your wedding." He told her.

Kyoko blushed, "You don't have to get us anything." She protested quickly.

Yukia only shook his head before stepping over to James. "Good night, Ren-san," Yukia called.

They waved good bye and each of the couples went there separate ways.

"Where'd Yashiro-san go?" Kyoko asked Ren as they climbed into his car.

"Oh, he decided to take a taxi home." He answered, and Kyoko could feel that he was hiding something. But she didn't want to ask, knowing he'd tell her when he was ready.

And as it turned out, Ren was ready a lot sooner than she expected. He had no sooner turned onto the main road home, then he took a deep breath, preparing himself.

"Kyoko, my parents called during the party. That's why I stepped out." He told her.

Kyoko looked at him, suddenly alarmed. "Is everything okay?"

He gave a small laugh. "Everything's fine. It's nothing like that. It's just…" He let his voice trailed off, making Kyoko nervous.

"Just what?"

"They were letting us know that they'll be flying out to Tokyo next month. To help with the wedding plans." He watched Kyoko out of the corner of his eye, trying to gauge her reaction.

She was silent for only a moment before her protests started. "Oh! I wouldn't want them to be inconvenienced. They could just come out the week of the wedding. I mean, I'm sure both of them have busy schedules and-"

Ren cut her off with a wave of his hand. "I'm sure they don't feel it's any inconvenience. After all, we are their only kids. And since we are marrying each other, this is the only wedding they'll get to help plan. I'm pretty sure they'd be more inconvenienced if we asked them not to come."

"It's not that I don't want them to come. I mean, if they can manage it then it'd be nice to have the help. And…" Kyoko's voice dropped to a whisper, "I really am looking forward to meeting your mom."

Ren reached out his hand and gently squeezed hers. "Mom is going to love you." He told her lovingly.

And his confidence made some of the nervousness disappear from her heart. At least, for the moment.

* * *

 **A/N: Welcome to the next part of my series! I am so excited that we have finally reached the wedding because I have so much planned for it. And as you can see, Ren's parents will be making an appearance. I won't make you wait long to see them, so don't worry.**

 **This part of the story is titled for the song by Kina Grannis, In Your Arms.**

 **Also for anyone who is wondering I have at least 4 more parts planned for this series. Possibly more. So I hope you all will stock with me as I write it. Your feedback helps me tremendously and I am so grateful for my readers.I'll see you next week! l**


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Part of the Family

Kyoko rushed around the large apartment scrubbing and dusting anything and everything. She was glad that it had worked out for her to be home early the night that Kuu and Julie would arrive in Tokyo. The plans had been set for them to land and check in to their hotel then come to the apartment for dinner at seven o'clock. But as it turned out, even after cleaning for three hours, Kyoko still didn't feel it was good enough.

 _What if his mom doesn't think I'm doing a good enough job? Didn't Dad say that she thought family was really important? What if she thinks I'm not doing a good enough job taking care of Ren? I mean, he is her only son… and she's finally seeing him after seven years._

She allowed herself to sink onto the floor of the living room in a dark gloom. "What if she hates me?" she whispered.

"She won't hate you."

Kyoko jumped up and looked towards the door where she saw Ren standing watching her. His eyes were filled with compassion and love for his fiancé.

"I-I wasn't just sitting around, I've been cleaning and cooking." Kyoko muttered guiltily.

Ren stepped forward and tilted up Kyoko's face until her eyes met his. "Kyoko, the apartment is practically sparkling. Nobody could possibly think you haven't been cleaning. And dinner smells delicious." He pressed his lips to hers in a tender kiss. "I love you and Mom is going to love you too."

Kyoko smiled, but then started to worry again. "B-but what if she doesn't think I'm good enough for you?" she sighed. "I'm sorry for worrying so much. I'm just nervous."

Ren pulled her by the hand over to the couch and they both sat down. "Don't you think that I'm nervous too?" he asked seriously. "I haven't seen my mom in seven years and I didn't exactly leave on good terms."

Kyoko squeezed his hand gently. "I hadn't thought about you being nervous." She admitted.

"We'll be fine and tonight is going to go very well. In fact, Dad just called me before I headed up here. They are all settled in at the hotel and will see us in an hour." Ren told her.

Kyoko jumped up from the couch suddenly. "Is it already six?" she cried. "I still have to shower and get dressed." Without waiting for a response from Ren, she ran from the room and Ren heard the bathroom door slam shut behind her.

He only hoped Kyoko couldn't hear his laughter from the living room.

* * *

Just as Kyoko had finished getting ready, she checked the time on her phone. "Only five more minutes?" she took a deep breath and stepped out of the bathroom. She was dressed in a short sundress that she had picked out, with Maria's help, especially for this dinner. Her brown hair was pulled back into a short ponytail and she had made sure to put on a modest amount of make up.

When she reached the living room, she found Ren dressed in some dark blue jeans and a light colored buttoned shirt. She smiled and couldn't help but be distracted by how handsome he looked.

"How do I look?" she asked. Ren who had looked up when she entered the room, studied her with a serious face.

He was silent as he walked over to her. "Hmm…"

Kyoko couldn't help but pout a little. "You can at least lie and say it looks nice." She mumbled.

A laugh broke out from Ren's mouth and she looked up to see an impish grin. She punched his arm. "Don't tease me."

He pulled her close and kissed her cheek playfully. "You, my dear, look stunning."

A blush flooded her face. But she didn't have time to focus on that because at that exact moment, the doorbell rang.

"I guess they're here." Ren said, and she could here the nervousness in his voice. He took a few steps towards the entry way, then looked back at Kyoko who hadn't followed. "Aren't you coming?"

Kyoko looked surprised. "Oh, I just figured you might want to greet them on your own first."

As she finished speaking Ren took hold of her hand and dragged her out into the entry. "You are a part of this family too and besides, Dad is probably more excited about seeing you than me anyway."

She blushed, but couldn't stop the smile that had appeared on her face.

They reached the door and Ren took a deep breath before opening it. When he did, the first thing Kyoko saw was a rush of blonde hair throw herself into Ren's arms.

"Kuon!" a sweet soprano voice cried out. The voice was followed by soft sobs.

Behind, who Kyoko could only assume was Ren's mother, she spotted a familiar smiling face. Kuu had stepped inside after Julie and quickly closed the door behind him. He watched with joy as his wife embraced their son for the first time in years.

Julie pulled away and sparkling tears were sprinkled across her face. She looked into Ren's face, examining it to ensure he was real. "Kuon, I missed you." She whispered.

Kuu saw Kyoko the moment he was able to take his eyes off of Julie and Kuon. His smile grew as he watched her shuffle her feet awkwardly. He stepped over to her and cleared his throat.

"It's certainly nice to see your kids again when you haven't seen them in some time." Kuu said seriously as he stared straight ahead. Then he glanced down at Kyoko and grinned. "Both of them." He said with a wink.

Kyoko looked up, struggling to hold back the tears that were trying to spring forward. Kuu pulled her into a fatherly hug. The kind of hug Kyoko had never really gotten to enjoy before.

Nearby, Ren looked down guiltily as Julie praised him for how much taller he'd gotten and commented that at least it looked like he'd been eating well.

"I'm sorry, Mom. For the way I left, and all the problems I caused you." The apology spilled out as Ren felt the emotions of finally seeing his parents again after so long.

"Hush," Julie replied softly. She gently caressed his cheek. "You are troublesome like your father. But I'm happy that you've found your place." Her hand moved up and she ruffled his hair. "But really, what's with this hair? Did you dislike being blond so much?" she scolded him with a beautiful smile.

Ren couldn't help but chuckle. He then turned to look to where his dad was standing with Kyoko and his mother's gaze followed. Julie's eyes lit up when she spotted Kyoko.

Ren took a step away from his mom and towards Kyoko. "Mom, this is the girl I'm going to marry, Kyoko Mogami."

Kyoko blushed at the introduction. She automatically bowed the way she always did for greetings. It startled Julie who wasn't as used to this kind of formal introduction.

"You don't have to be so formal." Julie said gently.

Kyoko looked up. Julie's voice sounded like a soft tinkling type melody that put her at ease. "Of course, Hizuri-san."

Julie fixed Kyoko with an all too familiar pout.

 _So that's where he learned that trick._ Kyoko thought to herself.

"If you won't call me 'mom' then please, at least call me 'Julie'." She told the younger girl gently.

Kyoko felt the urge to obey. That desire to use a word that had been all but strictly forbidden for so many years, yet she couldn't quite bring herself to use it. She couldn't force her all too polite mind to allow herself to call a woman she had just met 'mom'."

She smiled, "It's very nice to meet you, Julie."

Julie watched Kyoko with interest. She had heard some about her from Kuu, but she could already tell that Kyoko was a very interesting person.

"Should we all go and sit down?" Ren offered.

Kuu nodded and the men led their respective woman into the dining room. Julie looked around the apartment with obvious interest, while Kuu surprisingly tried to keep calm.

 _Maybe he's trying to act more controlled so Julie can express herself?_ Kyoko wondered.

They all settled around the table except for Kyoko who moved into the kitchen to bring out the dinner.

"Did you need any help, Kyoko?" Kuu asked.

Kyoko shook her head with a smile. "That's all right, Dad. After all, you are our guests." She disappeared back into the kitchen and Ren opened a bottle of wine that his parents had brought. As he began to pour Julie spoke.

"What a remarkable young lady." She commented, "Did she prepare all of this herself?"

Ren nodded, feeling pride swell up within him. "She frequently cooks, it's something she enjoys immensely."

A few minutes later, the table was set with the dinner that Kyoko had prepared, and they began to eat. It made Kyoko happy to see that Kuu was still eating his usual amount, but the person who made her feel the most accomplished was Julie, who smiled after every bite of food.

"This is a delicious dinner, Kyoko." Julie told her.

Kyoko blushed, "Thank you very much, Julie."

"Now," Julie began, "I am dying to hear about how the two of you met and fell in love."

"Darling, this isn't one of your dramas you enjoy watching." Kuu chided.

His wife waved off his words. "Don't pretend you aren't curious. I for one want to know how our Kuon managed to find such a special girl."

Julie's eyes sparkled as she watched the young couple who had both began to feel shy. Ren coughed as he looked away, trying to avoid his mother's gaze. This was something he had never really experienced, having his parents ask him about someone he was seeing. His mother sighed and turned her focus on Kyoko.

"Well, at least start with how you met?"

Kyoko swallowed, "Um, well we met here in Tokyo when I came to LME looking to start a career in show business." Suddenly a mischievous thought popped into her head and she added, "When Kuon threw me out of the building and onto the street."

She could immediately feel Ren glaring at her. But when she looked his way instead of a glare, she found his polite gentleman's smile.

Julie looked reproachful of her son's behavior while Kuu just looked like he was trying not to laugh. "Did he really?" Kuu asked.

Ren smiled at his father. "Oh yes. I did literally throw her out. But that is because in the beginning, she had no interest in show business aside from getting revenge on her ex-childhood friend."

It was Kyoko's turn to be surprised by Ren's bluntness. She blushed at his words. "But even after I joined show business and became interested, you were still very mean to me." She accused.

Ren smirked at her, "That was only because I still thought you were using it only for revenge." He argued.

His parents watched the debate with amusement. It was obvious from the way they spoke that they were flirting and it made Kuu and Julie happy to see their son act this way.

"It still wasn't nice that you teased me for so long after you knew though. I would've expected better of Corn." Kyoko looked away in feigned irritation. But it wasn't until she caught the surprised expressions on their guests' faces that she realized her mistake. Her face lit up bright red.

Ren couldn't hide the blush that suddenly burned in his cheeks, either.

"Corn?" Julie asked in confusion.

Ren sighed, "It's a nickname she gave me." He began to explain, a small smile playing on his lips. "When we were kids."

Kuu's eyes widened. "But you two didn't meet until you were both older."

Kyoko glanced at Ren who shook his head. "Actually, we met a long time ago. About 12 years ago now."

Kuu and Julie listened with interest as Ren and Kyoko took turns explaining their history. By the time they had finished the entire story, including the events of Kyoko's more recent accident, the group had moved into the living room with cups of tea and coffee.

"It's an amazing thing that you two wound up together again." Kuu commented. Truthfully, he couldn't be happier. To know that Kuon had been special to Kyoko since the first time they met, somehow made her more dear to him.

Julie stirred her coffee as she spoke, "It's as if you two were bound by fate." She met Kyoko's eyes with a smile. "By the way, Kyoko, wouldn't you love to hear stories about when Kuon was a child?" Her green eyes that matched her son's, had suddenly become playful.

"Mom, you don't need to do that." Ren spoke suddenly. "Kyoko has no interest in hearing-"

"Actually," Kyoko interjected, "That sounds like a very interesting conversation."

Ren groaned, concerned about what stories his mother would feel the need to share.

"Oh! But, I should take care of cleaning up the kitchen. Maybe we can talk while I-"

Before she could finish, Kuu stood up. "Why don't Kuon and I take care of the cleaning? You already prepared such a delicious meal. Besides, it'll give you a chance to get to know Julie."

Kyoko started to object but Ren silenced her with a gentle squeeze to her hand. "Dad's right. You deserve a break and some time to get to know, Mom." He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before following Kuu into the kitchen.

Once the two women were alone, Kyoko began to feel nervous again.

"You know, Kyoko, I am very happy that you have been here for Kuon. I think he has always needed someone like you. As I'm sure you know, he had a difficult time growing up and I always wonder what I could've done differently to make his life easier. But now," she smiled at Kyoko and her eyes sparkled with tears, "That I've met you, I realize that nothing else mattered in the end because now he's happy. And I cannot thank you enough for that."

Kyoko could feel tears in her eyes at Julie's kind words. She really didn't think that she was all that special, but it was certainly nice to hear that Julie thought that.

Julie wiped her eyes before continuing. "Now, about those stories."

* * *

Ren dried the dishes as his father handed them to him. He had to admit the whole scene felt slightly sentimental. He couldn't keep a small smile off his face.

"It's nice to see you looking so happy. You've changed a good amount since even the last time I saw you." Kuu commented, handing Ren another plate to dry.

Ren cleared his throat, feeling awkward. It had been far too long since they had shared a normal conversation.

"So, first things first," Kuu began, "How did things go on with that role?"

The young actor raised his eyebrows in confusion.

Kuu laughed, "What did you call it? The role of a cold-blooded killer? The one you mentioned in your video message to us."

Ren's eyes widened. "I didn't think you'd remember…"

"Of course I would remember something told to me by my dear son."

There was a sudden warmth in Ren's chest. "It went well. Kyoko was actually able to assist me with it as well. She helped to support me," he paused, his voice turned serious, "And she helped to keep me from losing myself during a dark time for me."

"It sounds like we owe her quite a lot." Kuu said in an equally serious tone. "I'm glad that you managed to get her to fall for you." He gave a wink at his son.

Ren couldn't help but smile at his father's comment. "So am I."

* * *

Back in the living room, Kyoko giggled as Julie told her stories of Kuon's childhood.

"Kuon was so angry with me that he had to take burnt cookies to school. When he got home, he taped off the cabinets and fridge to stop me from baking anything else." Julie said with a laugh. "That was one of the few times Kuu has ever been seriously angry with his son. He was concerned about my feelings being hurt. But I remember afterwards, Kuon came to me and apologized."

Kyoko watched as the older woman lost herself in memories. There was something magical about hearing about Ren's childhood. Days before he was a notorious playboy actor.

"He was very lucky to have parents who loved him so much." She said softly.

Julie could feel that there was something more to Kyoko's comment, but the moment wasn't right to discuss it. Instead, she decided to change the subject.

"So, you haven't told me yet, Kyoko. How are the wedding plans going?" Julie watched her expectantly.

Kyoko scratched the back of her head nervously. "Um, well…" she sighed, hanging her head. "We really haven't decided on anything. We've both been so busy, it just hasn't come up."

"That is understandable. I remember how difficult it was when Kuu and I first started a serious relationship. But," Julie moved seats and sat on the couch next to her future daughter. She grasped the younger girl's hands in her own. "This is a very special day for both of you. Don't let yourself get too busy to enjoy it."

"You're right!" Kyoko exclaimed. Suddenly, she felt very energized about planning the wedding.

Julie pulled Kyoko into a warm hug. Kyoko stiffened, not used to affection from a motherly figure.

"I really am so happy to have you as my child too." Julie whispered.

Tears stung Kyoko's eyes, as she clung to Julie. _Having a mother might actually be nice._

* * *

 **A/N: Wow! So here is chapter 1! I hope you all enjoyed it. I'm sorry for the delay, I have been working hard to make sure that the chapters are coming out the best I can. :) hopefully will have another one out for you soon! Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Preparations and Temptations

"It was really wonderful to meet you, Kyoko," Julie said sweetly as she and Kuu prepared to leave the apartment. She gave Kyoko another hug.

Kuu gave his son a warm hug, feeling grateful at the opportunity to spend time with him again. "We plan to go visit Lory tomorrow." He told Ren.

Ren smiled when he saw his mom making a face out of the corner of his eye. "I'm sure he'll be very happy to see you both again."

Kuu laughed, "I doubt he's looking forward to meeting your mother again."

Julie pushed Kuu aside as she embraced Ren again. He knew it must be hard for her. After all, the last time she had hugged him good bye he had been a fifteen year old boy, and she'd had no idea she wouldn't see him again for seven years.

"No running off this time," she whispered, and Ren could hear the emotion in her voice.

He kissed the top of her head. "Don't worry, I'm done running."

Kuu stepped over next to Kyoko. "You know, I have to thank you."

She looked up him, confusion filling her face. "Thank me?" she asked.

"Yes," he answered, "For taking such good care of Kuon. He's really doing much better than I'd expected." Kuu reached out a hand and ruffled his daughter's hair. "I think I might have been right in deciding to give my approval for you to marry him." He teased.

The next moment, Kyoko had thrown her arms around him. It had taken all the courage she had to do something so unfamiliar to herself, but she hated forcing herself to hold back when she had a desire to show her emotions.

"I'm glad you're here, Dad." She told him softly.

Kuu smiled down at her, feeling his heart melting at the sight. "So am I, Kyoko."

They soon bid their parents good bye, with promises to set up another dinner the day after next. After they had gone, Kyoko dropped onto the couch. She had used up a lot of energy over her stress of the upcoming dinner and now that it was over she felt exhausted.

Ren sat down next to her. "Tired?" he asked with a smile.

Kyoko nodded, "But it was fun." She looked down, feeling her face warm up. "I really like your mom. She's even better than I imagined."

Ren reached out and held Kyoko's hand. "She's your mom too, you know."

She wiped her eyes with the back of her free hand, hating herself for getting so emotional. "I'm glad they are here. It'll be nice having them around for the wedding."

"Did you and Mom talk about it at all?" he asked.

"Yeah. She told me to make sure we don't let ourselves get too busy to enjoy it." Kyoko told him. "I told her we really haven't planned anything aside from the date yet."

Ren sighed, it was true. They hadn't sat down to discuss anything that normal couples would have. "Well," he began, "Did you want to begin now?"

Her eyes widened, "B-but I don't even know where to start." Kyoko confessed.

"Wait here."

She watched as her fiancé left the couch. He returned a moment later with a notebook and a pen.

"What are some things that are important to a wedding?" he asked her.

Kyoko's eyebrows scrunched together as she thought. _Things for a wedding…_ "Oh! I guess we need to pick the wedding party. Bridesmaids and groomsmen."

Ren nodded and began to make notes. She couldn't help but admire how cute he looked. A small giggle escaped her mouth.

His eyes flicked up from the notebook to meet hers. "What?" he asked.

Kyoko blushed, "Nothing." She lied. _It's not like I'm about to tell you that you're cute._ She thought with a smile.

"So did you have anyone picked out yet?" Ren asked.

Kyoko nodded, "I know I want Moko-san to be one. And I'll need to ask Maria-chan too." She looked thoughtful for a moment. "I can't leave out Amamiya-san either though."

"All three then." Ren replied, jotting down her answers.

"And what about you?" Kyoko asked, curiously.

Ren was quiet for a minute. He hadn't really thought about it up until now. "Well, I mean, I guess Yashiro-san is the obvious choice." He answered. "Since you have three I guess I should too."

"What about Yukia-kun and James-san?" Kyoko suggested. She didn't want to force him, but it seemed like Ren didn't have many friends and might have trouble picking anyone else.

Ren smiled at her. He reached out and ruffled her hair. "That's perfect." He told her. "Now then, what do you plan to wear?"

His question caught her by surprise and Kyoko blushed. This was something she had always known. No matter who she married, she had always wanted to wear a traditional style kimono for her wedding.

"Can we wear kimonos?" the words had slipped out in a whisper and immediately Kyoko worried if it was too much. After all, maybe Ren would want to wear a suit instead.

"Kimonos then," he replied with a nod. He began to make notes on the paper again.

"We don't have to if you'd rather not. You don't have to go with everything I suggest." Kyoko could feel herself worrying again. She wanted this to be a perfect and happy occasion for both of them.

Ren watched as Kyoko chewed her lip nervously. He reached out and stroked the side of her face gently. "If you suggest anything that I disagree with, I'll let you know. Remember, we need to trust each other. So trust me." He told her softly.

Kyoko nodded silently. "Sometimes you're too nice to me." She muttered.

Ren laughed, "I guess it's to make up for when I was _so mean_ to you." He teased, reminding her of their earlier conversation in front his parents.

Kyoko blushed, "Sorry for saying that."

"It's okay. I don't mind if you tease me a little."

Kyoko blushed darker at the tone behind his words. She hurriedly decided to change the subject. "So where should we get our kimonos?"

"Well, if you wanted, we could go visit Miki-san again." Ren suggested. "She does specialize in wedding attire. And I think she particularly enjoyed the last time she got to make something for you."

He watched as her face lit up. "That would be perfect!"

"Great. I'll give you her number so that you can call her once you're ready to make an appointment." He told her. He then closed the notebook and startled Kyoko by leaning over and kissing her on the lips.

After a few moments of kissing he pulled back still keeping his face close to hers. Both of them were breathing hard. "I promise," he whispered, "This wedding will be everything you could ever dream of."

She could feel tears prick her eyes, but before they could fall, his mouth was back on hers. Lost in passion he pushed her back onto the couch, causing a gasp to escape her mouth. He slipped his tongue into her mouth and deepened the kiss. The hand that wasn't behind her head, touched her waist, gently caressing it before slipping under the bottom of her shirt.

Kyoko's eyes flew open and her hand grabbed his reflexively, stopping it's progress. Ren pulled back immediately, breathless and blushing. "Sorry." He muttered shyly.

As he started to move away, Kyoko shook her head. "No, it's okay. I just, you startled me. I- I didn't want you to stop kissing me."

Ren raised his eyebrows, questioning what exactly her statement meant.

She blushed, "I'm not saying I want to go any, Um, further than that. I just," she paused, struggling to explain herself. But she didn't have to.

Ren leaned over her, pressing his lips close to her ear. "I won't do anything that would lead to more. I know it's important to you that we wait. And I can make it a few more weeks."

Kyoko nodded, keeping her eyes tightly closed to hide her embarrassment. The next second she felt Ren's breath on her neck, followed by his lips. His hand returned to her waist. His fingers caressed the soft skin of her stomach, and it sent chills up her spine. She allowed her own hand to move to wrap around Ren's back. As his lips moved to hers, she slid her hand down his back to the hem of his shirt.

Suddenly, she felt anxious to touch his skin. Sure, she had before but not while kissing him like this and the last time it had been this seductive of a setting had been as Setsu.

Just as her fingertips touched his warm skin, he stiffened. He kept his eyes closed as he pulled back from the kiss. All of the excitement was getting to him and the feel of her hand on his bare skin had sent his imagination into a dangerous place.

Kyoko froze, she quickly pulled her hand away. She wasn't sure what it was but she knew she had done something wrong. "Sorry…" she whispered. He looked like he was in pain and that made her heart hurt.

His eyes flew open. "No," he breathed out. "Don't say sorry. You didn't do anything wrong." He sat up completely, moving his body a safe distance away. His hand ran through his now messy hair. "I just need to stop now," he explained, feeling embarrassed.

Kyoko sat up feeling slightly confused, but then she processed his words. Suddenly, her face felt warm. In fact, her whole body felt warm. "Maybe we should go to sleep." She said shyly.

He nodded, "I think I'm going to take a shower. You go ahead." He was smiling but his eyes wouldn't meet hers.

"Okay. Good night then." She felt confused as she rose and headed into their bedroom. Somehow she suddenly felt lonely.

As Ren stood under the cool water, he felt his brain start working again. _I'm such an idiot. I probably just freaked her out and now she's probably feeling guilty._ He sighed as the water rushed over his head. _And all because I can't control myself when she touches me._ As he finished his shower, he reminded himself that there were only about eight weeks until they'd be married and then she'd be his completely.

He realized as he wrapped his towel around his waist, that he had forgotten about bringing pajamas into the bathroom and would have to go into the bedroom in just his towel. _I was in there a while, she'll probably be asleep._ He told himself as he entered their bedroom. He walked through quietly and slipped inside of the closet to dress.

After dressing he climbed into bed next to Kyoko and watched her sleeping form. But wait… there was something unusual about her breathing. It wasn't the relaxed deep even breathing she normally had while she slept. He couldn't resist the temptation to tease her for pretending to sleep.

"Did you enjoy the view?" he whispered. He could see her ears turn bright red, revealing her embarrassment and a chuckle escaped his mouth. _She's too cute._

Kyoko could feel her irritation flare up. First, he kissed her like he had, then ended it suddenly when she decided to make a move. Then he walked through the room dripping wet and half-naked and teased her about it. _Didn't he know how damn tempting he was for her too?_ She muttered her thoughts allowed but he couldn't hear her.

"What was that?" he asked, a teasing lilt to his voice.

She spoke up then, her voice ringing clearly through the quiet apartment. "Please don't think that you are the only one who has to work to control their desires. I may be an innocent girl but I am not immune to things like your kisses or you being half-naked after a shower." Her words had come out harshly, conveying just how much he had affected her.

And as much as he knew he should feel bad about what she had said, his first feeling was a tingling excitement that flooded his whole body, followed by embarrassment over her words.

When he didn't respond, Kyoko rolled over to peek at him for a reaction. She was pleasantly surprised to see a red blush had tinged his face.

Kyoko giggled at his expression. "I guess I surprised you."

Ren looked at her, his eyes softening. "I'm sorry for not thinking of how you feel. I just assumed it was easier for you."

"Well, it isn't." She confessed quietly.

Ren gave her a small kiss on her lips. "Well, I'm happy to hear you feel that way."

Kyoko cuddled close to him, enjoying his warmth. "I really can't believe we are getting married in just a couple of months." She murmured against his chest.

He smiled down at her as he felt her breathing relax. "I really can't wait."

* * *

 **A/N: I am so sorry for the long wait for this chapter. I lost my inspiration and got really stuck for a while. But I'm feeling better about this now and am back at writing. I'm going to post chapter 3 on new years day to kick off 2017!**

 **Also, in case anyone asks, I will be using a combo of Japanese and western wedding traditions. I really needed them to have a wedding party but it looks like that isn't a super popular thing in Japan. I decided to include it anyway. I am however trying to keep somewhat to tradition. :) just wanted to give that explanation.**

 **I hope you liked the chapter! See you next week!**


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Preparing for the Journey

The following afternoon, Kyoko sat waiting in the LoveMe section for her best friend. She had texted Kanae early that morning to find out when she had some free time and the other girl had responded promptly with her schedule for the day. Kyoko had picked 3:30 for their meeting time since it was the only time that Kanae had more than half an hour of free time.

She, herself, had had a half day of school that morning and then found herself free until the evening filming of Kimagure Rock. She had used her time from lunch onward to peruse the various shops near her school until she found a suitable gift for Kanae. That gift now sat in front of her in a small dark purple gift bag.

Her fingers tapped anxiously on the tabletop. She checked her phone and saw that it was now 3:32. _Where is Moko? She isn't normally late._ She felt concern overlap her anxiety. She dialed Kanae's number on her phone, but instead of it ringing it immediately went to an automatic message. _"We're sorry, the party you are trying to reach either has their phone off or is out of their service range. Please try again later."_

Kyoko could feel herself beginning to panic. She was trying to think of what to do next, when the door to the LoveMe section flew open and Kanae marched in, looking to be in a bad mood.

"Moko-san!" Kyoko cried out, her voice full of worry. She could see that Kanae was soaking wet and quickly grabbed a towel out of her own locker and draped it around the other girl's shoulders.

"I'm fine." Kanae muttered. She sat down in one of the chairs. "Sorry, I'm late. My phone died so I couldn't call you, and then I couldn't get a taxi because of some event going on down the street from the studio I was at. I figured it was only a couple of blocks to walk here and it wouldn't be an issue, but then it suddenly started raining." She paused. "Mo! What are you grinning about?" Kanae snapped.

Kyoko couldn't help but beam at her friend. Of course, the easiest thing for Kanae to do would've been to borrow a phone at the studio and cancel with Kyoko if she couldn't get there. Or when it started raining to go into a nearby store and wait it out. But no, Kanae had walked all the way there to meet her.

"It's just," she paused, feeling emotional. "I am really happy that Moko-san thought meeting me was so important."

Kanae rolled her eyes. Trying to hide her embarrassment. "It's not like it was that important. I just don't like cancelling plans…" she sighed, even she knew her excuse sounded lame. "Well, anyways, what did you need to see me about?"

Kyoko placed the small bag in front of Kanae. "This is a gift for you, no matter what your answer is." She began. "But I really hope you'll say yes to my request."

The soaked actress watched her warily. _What on earth is she planning to ask me?_ She wondered.

"Kanae-san, will you be my maid of honor for the wedding?" She asked nervously.

Kanae stared at her for a moment, unsure how to answer. Of course, she wanted to. But it was just such a show of how much Kyoko thought of her that she felt a little overwhelmed.

"I mean you don't have to do much." Kyoko quickly began to explain, trying to convince her. "And I don't expect you to pay for your kimono for the ceremony. We'll be paying for everything. I just really liked the thought of having you by my side when I make such an important change in my life. I mean," Kyoko met Kanae's eyes and Kanae could see they were wet with tears. "You've been next to me for so many important things."

Kanae couldn't help the smile that appeared on her face. "Of course, I'll do it. I can't say no after you gave me a present." She took the bag and pulled out a small box. Once she opened it, inside she saw a delicate looking silver watch.

"I figured you would want something practical." Kyoko explained.

Kanae walked around the table and hugged her friend. "Thanks. And I'd be honored to be in your wedding."

Kyoko stood and hugged her back tightly. Kanae patted her back awkwardly. One hug was fine, if it was short but she still wasn't used to Kyoko's over the top affection for her.

 _I really hope this wedding is everything you want. You deserve it._ She thought as she stared down at her best friend.

Meanwhile, several miles away, Ren was driving from one job to a meeting for a photoshoot he'd be starting the following day. Yashiro sat in the front seat, making notes in his planners and occasionally responding to an email.

Ren was feeling nervous, in his mind it had seemed like such an easy thing to ask his manager to be his best man. After all, he wasn't exactly the kind of person to get over emotional about things like this.

"Ren, is everything okay?" Yashiro asked, watching him curiously.

"I'm fine. Why?" he responded, calmly.

"It's just you missed your turn back there. And you seem distracted. Did you and Kyoko have a disagreement?"

"Dammit." Ren sighed. He made a U-turn at the next light and got back on the road to his destination. "And, no, we didn't have any disagreement. Actually, last night after we finished dinner, we started planning more for the wedding."

"Oh," Yashiro nodded as if that explained everything. "That's why you're distracted. You must be excited knowing the wedding is almost here. Please let me know if I can be any help. I know you'll be very busy with work."

Ren smiled. This was his chance. "Actually, there is something I need your help with." He said as he pulled into a parking space in front of the building.

"Yes?"

"Yukihito, I want you to be my best man for the wedding."

Yashiro stared at him a moment, an awkward smile plastered to his face. "Your what? Best man?" he started to shake his head. "No, Ren. I couldn't. I mean, I'm just your manager. I'm sure there's someone else you'd rather-"

"There isnt." Ren answered him shortly. His voice wasn't angry, just serious. "You are my closest friend. You've been with me since I came to Japan. And I owe you a lot, but I want to ask you to do yet another thing for me."

Yashiro smiled, more sincerely this time. "All right then, Ren. I would be happy to be your best man." He gave a bow of his head. "Please rely on me for anything you need."

The actor reached out and patted his manager's shoulder. "Thanks."

That night, Kyoko stepped off the set of Kimagure Rock still dressed in her costume as Bo. She removed the large chicken head and wiped the sweat from her forehead.

"Good work tonight, Kyoko-chan!" Hikaru called to her.

She smiled, "Thank you! You as well. Have a good night!"

Kyoko turned and headed down the hall to her dressing room. She sighed as she turned the knob and pushed open the door. _At least now I can take off this costume and get ready to head home._ She thought, as she stepped inside.

But as her second chicken foot squeaked into her dressing room, she paused.

"Ren?"

The tall actor looked up from his spot in the chair in front of her dressing table, where he had been sitting reading through a script. He smiled at her with a sparkly, sincere smile. "Good evening, Dear," he greeted her. He stood and moved forward, leaning down to kiss her lips. "How was work?"

She stared up at him in confusion. "Ren, what're you doing here?"

He laughed at her surprise. "Can't a man come to visit his fiancé when she finishes her job?" he asked.

"O-of course!" she answered quickly, not wanting to offend him. "You just aren't usually in my dressing room if you come to pick me up." She moved in front of her dressing table and began to take out the clips holding her hair up. "Did you finish work early then?"

Ren watched her, smiling. "Yes, I didn't finish until after you had started filming so I didn't bother to call you. I just figured I'd head over here and surprise you."

"Well, it was a very nice surprise." Kyoko admitted. "But now…" she turned to face him again, "You need to wait in the hallway so I can change."

Ren pouted at her. "What if I close my eyes?" he teased.

Kyoko stuck out her tongue. "Out, Kuon. I don't trust you not to peek."

He shrugged his shoulders in that way that he knew annoyed her and made his way out the door.

Once he was gone Kyoko smiled to herself. _It's nice to see him in such a good mood. It must be because he's able to see his parents again._ As she slipped into her normal clothes, Kyoko felt incredibly happy about the way things were going.

As they drove home, Ren began to speak. "Did you talk to Kotonami-san today?" he asked.

Kyoko felt a warmth in her chest at the mention of her dear friend. She nodded, "I saw her this afternoon. And I asked her. She said yes, she's happy to be in the wedding."

Ren could hear the emotion in her voice. He knew it was a special thing for Kyoko to have people who wanted to be involved in her life.

"I talked to Yashiro today." He told her, careful not to let his own happiness appear in his voice.

"And what did he say?" Kyoko asked eagerly. She knew Yashiro would say yes. He had to.

"He said no. That he's too busy." He responded seriously.

Kyoko stared at him, her mouth open in shock. "What?!" she exclaimed.

Ren took one glance at her face before he burst into laughter. "I'm only kidding."

He watched as she stuck out her lip in a pout. "That was mean. I thought you were serious." She said irritably.

"I'm sorry." He replied, reaching over he placed a hand on her knee. "I just wanted to see how you'd react." When he saw she was ignoring him, Ren spoke again. "Yashiro said yes too. He seemed surprised I asked him."

"Why would he be surprised?" she asked, breaking her silence. "You two are so close."

"I guess he just didn't realize how important he is to me."

Kyoko nodded. She could understand that. Yashiro probably thought a lot of himself as a manager but as Ren's friend, there must've been some doubt.

"I'm planning to ask Maria-chan tomorrow. I asked the president if, since I'm free, I could pick her up from school." She explained.

Ren smiled, "I'm sure she'll be very happy."

He noticed Kyoko twisting her engagement ring around her finger. "It's all a little overwhelming. But, it makes it easier knowing we have so many people who care about us and want to help."

He nodded, "Yes, it does."

The following morning, Kyoko headed downstairs from their apartment by herself. Ren had left early for the first day of a special photoshoot and had been unable to give her a ride to work.

 _But that's fine. I can always take a cab to LME. Just because I'm going to marry Ren Tsuruga, doesn't mean I can't be independent. Maybe I should try taking my bike to work more often again._

As she stepped out the doors to the building, she stopped in surprise.

"Dad? What're you doing here?" she asked, hurrying over to where Kuu stood, leaning against a fancy looking car.

He smiled at her, "What? I can't come see my daughter?" he pouted, "To think I've only been back in Japan a couple of days and my child is already tired of me."

She couldn't help but laugh at his dramatics. It just made it more obvious that he and Ren were related. "You know I was very happy to have you come out to Japan again. I just didn't expect to see you waiting for me in front of the apartment."

"I heard that you might be in need of a ride this morning, and I thought what a great opportunity to spend the day with my child." He gave a wink and then held open the passenger door for her.

Kyoko climbed inside feeling excited. She'd never had the pleasure of having a parent who wanted to spend time with her.

As Kuu started the car he put on his sunglasses. "Where to first?"

Kyoko couldn't hold back the smile that took over her face as she answered. "LME."

* * *

 **A/N: Happy new Year! Sorry this didn't get posted yesterday. My daughter has been sick and so it didn't happen as I hoped. But I hope you all enjoyed chapter 3! Chapter 4 will be posted next monday. Thanks for reading! See you next week!**


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Family Bonding

 _Slap!_

"Really, Riki? Did you think it would be a good idea to try and take him from me?" Kyoko glared down at the actress playing her current victim.

Riki glared back at her. "He doesn't belong to you anymore, Senpai!"

Kyoko glared down at the other girl. "Don't be so sure about that." And with those words she spun on her heel and walked off down the hallway.

Riki slid down the wall breathing hard, the aftereffects of the confrontation finally hitting her.

"Cut!" the director called out. She smiled at her actors. "That was great work. Let's take a break and meet back in five for the next scene." She announced.

Kyoko hurried over to where Kuu was lounging on a chair the staff had quickly provided him upon his arrival. His face was blank, making her nervous.

"How did it look?" she asked, her eyes more focused on her hands than on her father.

"Well," Kuu started. He paused, looking thoughtful.

Kyoko looked up, meeting his eyes for the first time.

A smile broke out across his face and he gave her a wink. "I think my daughter is a very talented actress. I was surprised to see you still doing bully rolls."

A small smile played on Kyoko's lips. "Well, an actor I very much admire once told me that it's important not to think too highly of myself so early on in my career, as to refuse offers just because it's not the type of role I enjoy." She replied. "But, I think I've learned to enjoy any role I get. Now that I've tried a few different types of roles, I found I can learn something new every time."

Kuu wiped his eyes with a handkerchief, "To think my child has grown so quickly."

Kyoko couldn't help but laugh. It felt so nice to have him there again. Knowing that he could teach her more and help her if she had any difficulties. _Then again, I'm sure Julie could teach me plenty of things too._

And with that thought, Kyoko glanced around.

"What is it?" Kuu asked curiously.

Kyoko scratched her head. "I was just wondering, where is Julie? She's not with you today."

Kuu chuckled, "Oh, Julie said she had some errands of her own to take care of today. So it'll just be me and you. I hope you aren't too disappointed." He teased.

She shook her head quickly. "No, not at all. I'm very happy to have some time with you. Especially since this way you get to see me act in person and can critique me on any errors I make."

"Let's get set for the next scene!" Came the director's voice then.

Kyoko jumped up, "I need to go. We'll talk more next break!"

Kuu watched her as she scurried back onto the set excitedly. _Why is that girl so eager for me to correct her?_ He wondered.

* * *

"Yes, hello, Jiro-san," Julie greeted when a familiar voice answered the phone.

"Could it really be, Julie-sama?" the man on the other end asked, his voice betraying his excitement.

"Yes, Jiro-san, I'm in Tokyo for a few weeks. On a kind of vacation. And," she paused. She knew she had to ask this just right to ensure she could get her way. "I heard that you were directing a very impressive photoshoot this week."

Julie could practically see her old acquaintance smiling through the phone. "As a matter of fact, I am. It's an international themed photoshoot and we have models from several different countries."

"Wow! That is very impressive. I wish I could come see it. It would give me a chance to see who some of the young talents are in modeling these days." Julie commented. She paused, keeping quiet for several moments to allow her words to sink in.

She started again. "But, I should probably let you go now, Jiro-san. I'm sure you're very busy making sure everything is perfect."

"Wait, Julie-sama!"

A smile lit up her stunning features as Julie Hizuri realized she'd gotten exactly what she wanted.

* * *

Meanwhile, inside of a nearby studio, Ren sat patiently while make up and hair artists saw to his appearance. Yashiro sat on a nearby chair flipping through the two schedules he currently had to manage.

 _If we can keep on schedule with the photos today, we will be on track for finishing early tomorrow. Which means we can have the planning meeting for the wedding tomorrow night._

Yashiro looked up at the sound of a knock on the dressing room door. He made his way to the door and opened it. Standing outside the door was a tall, slender young man with dark red hair.

He smiled at Yashiro before speaking in broken Japanese. "Here is Ren Tsuruga?" he asked.

Yashiro stepped aside and gestured to allow the other model entry. "Ren, you have a visitor." The manager called over.

Ren turned in his chair and smiled, "Stephen." He greeted him. "It's good to see you again." He told him in English.

The redhead's shoulders relaxed. "Finally, someone who speaks clear English." He said with a laugh. "It's hard not being able to understand half the people you're working with. I mean, I only speak one language." He gave a pointed look at Ren who he knew spoke at least three.

Ren laughed. He had met Stephen a couple of years before at a fashion event in Europe and they had gotten along. "Were you happy to get picked as the American model for the photoshoot?" he asked.

Stephen laughed, scratching the back of his head. "Yeah. I hadn't expected to get the offer. I think they wanted to use someone else from my agency but he got sick and couldn't so they asked me."

There was another knock on the door, and this time it was revealed to be a staff member coming to retrieve the models.

As they walked out towards the set, Stephen continued to talk. "Oh, yeah. I heard you were getting married. Is that true?"

Ren felt a warmth in his chest at the thought of his upcoming wedding. He nodded, "Yes. In about two months."

"Congrats. I hope it works out well for you." Stephen gave him a pat on the shoulder before moving away to greet the American female model who was waiting nearby.

Ren had to admit, it felt good having people congratulate him on his wedding. _It's nice having people be happy for me._ As he stood waiting for direction, a chill went down Ren's spine. He glanced around. _Is someone watching me?_ He wondered. But when he saw nothing strange, he returned his focus to the modeling.

* * *

Julie watched as the many young talented models were directed to the correct positions. She had tied her blonde hair up in a bun and hidden it beneath a hat. She had also been sure to wear flat shoes so as not to draw any more attention to her height than necessary. Sunglasses covered her eyes in the hopes that she could observe without being obvious.

But observe what?

 _Kuon looks so handsome in that suit! He really does look so much like his father. But he certainly got his modeling talents from me._ She thought proudly as she watched him pose.

She pulled out her phone and took a few pictures as discreetly as possible. _I'm sure Kyoko would love to see her fiancé looking so nice._ She thought with a smile.

Julie took a few steps closer to the set. _I just want to get a good picture of his face._ She took another step forward and just as she pressed the camera button, successfully capturing Ren's picture, a loud ring tone erupted from the phone, startling her, causing her to lose her grip on the phone. It fell to the ground with a loud smack.

Everyone turned to look at where the sudden interruption had come from. She quickly picked up her phone. "Sorry," she murmured softly in Japanese. She started to turn away from the staring eyes when a voice called out to her.

"Ms. Hizuri? Is that you?"

Julie froze at the familiar and unexpected English. She turned back around and found herself face to face with a model she recognized from many shows back at home.

"Stephen, darling, I didn't know you would be here." She greeted him in a fake cheery voice.

As Stephen continued talking about how surprised he was to see her, Julie could feel someone staring, no- more like glaring, at her. She looked up and her eyes met those of the one person she had hoped wouldn't notice her presence.

Ren stepped over to the pair of foreigners. "Hizuri-san, how unexpected." He smiled down at her in what appeared to be a charming yet threatening way.

She smiled back, "Tsuruga-san," she greeted. "I didn't realize you were working on this project. I'm close friends with Jiro-san and wanted to stop by and see how his latest project was going."

Stephen glanced between them. "Oh, you two know each other?" he asked.

Ren nodded, "Hizuri-san's husband is a part of the same agency as I am." He explained.

"Well, then, I think I'll just be leaving now. I got to see some of the modeling so I'll just get a taxi-" Julie began but was interrupted by Ren.

"Hizuri-san, why don't you stay a little longer. I'm sure Stephen would love to talk with you some more." He commented.

Stephen's eyes widened. "Yes! I would. That would be really helpful if you could stay and watch the rest of the shooting today. I'm sure you could give really useful tips since you are such a talented model."

Julie sighed inwardly. Her son was far too clever for his own good. She forced a pleasant smile. "Of course, I'd be happy to stay as long as it wouldn't inconvenience anyone."

"And I'd be happy to give you a ride back to the agency afterwards. No sense in you taking a taxi when I am available to escort you there." Ren told her politely. He then turned and walked away as Stephen began to ask Julie various questions about the modeling she had already observed that morning.

 _Serves her right for coming to my work. Now she'll have to deal with Stephen and give attention to the other models instead of focusing just on me._ He thought to himself as he stepped off set to change into the next outfit. Although, even Ren had to admit there was a part of him that felt happy that his mom had taken such a strong interest in seeing him work. Though he would never tell her that.

* * *

Kyoko was feeling giddy. A happy lightness running through her body, as she followed Kuu into a restaurant. _He's actually taking me out to lunch._ She shook her head, trying to decipher if this was a daydream her mind had invented.

"You okay?" Kuu asked as he sat down at the small table.

Kyoko looked at him in surprise before quickly nodding and taking her own seat. "Yes. Sorry, I was just thinking."

He smiled, "Well, feel free to order whatever you'd like. I'll be taking care of the bill." He opened his menu and began to read through it.

Kyoko opened her own menu and stared in shock at the high prices for even the most simple of dishes. "Umm, Dad, I cant let you pay for me. It's too expensive. I'll just pay for myself."

"Shhh…" Kuu hushed, glancing at her over the top of the menu. "Please, allow your father to spoil you for once." He pleaded.

At the sight of his pleading eyes, Kyoko nodded, conceding to his request. He quickly smiled and returned to his menu.

They had no sooner ordered, (a rather large amount of dishes on Kuu's part, I might add) than Kuu's phone buzzed. He stared at his screen with focused eyes.

"Is everything okay?" Kyoko asked with concern. "Is it work?"

Kuu shook his head. "No, Julie just sent me a mail." He covered his mouth with his hand before holding out the phone for Kyoko to see.

On the screen was a picture of Ren modeling a stylish outfit. Kyoko felt her heart skip at the sight of him smiling in such a charming way.

"Handsome, isn't he?" Kuu gushed, and Kyoko looked up to see he was beaming. He flipped through several more pictures of Ren modeling.

"Is Julie spending the day with Ren?" She asked.

Kuu shrugged, "She didn't tell me what her plans were. But, it looks like it." He smiled at Kyoko. "It's nice that we each get to spend some time with our children."

A thought popped into Kyoko's head but she hesitated a moment before asking. "Umm, did you and Julie have plans yet for dinner tonight?"

Kuu grinned, understanding what she meant. "Not yet. But we'd love to spend dinner with you guys. Why don't we head back early and cook for them?"

She nodded excitedly. "That sounds fun. Oh! But, this afternoon, I have somewhere I need to be at three o'clock."

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry for the delay. I hope you enjoyed chapter 4! Life has been crazy so I have a new posting schedule for my stories. Ch. 5 of In YYour Arms I'll Stay will be posted on 1/30/17. And I'll be posting every chapter after that every other week.**

 **Thanks for reading! I love you guys so much!**


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Adjusting to Love

"I'm sorry I had to ask you to drive me all the way to Maria-chan's school. And then I even had the nerve to ask you to drive us to get ice cream after we pick her up." Kyoko had finally reached her limit of boldness in asking favors of Kuu and now an outpouring of apologies had begun as they sat waiting for Maria to be done with classes.

Kuu watched as Kyoko continued to apologize. He thought that perhaps she had changed a little too much since their last meeting but this confession of hers was proof she was still Kyoko. He patted her head.

"Kyoko, please remember, I'm the one who showed up unexpectedly this morning and forced you to spend the day with me. I don't mind helping you with an errand or two," he said kindly.

"Onee-san!" Maria cried as she threw herself into the older girl's arms.

"Maria-chan, it's good to see you," Kyoko greeted, smiling down at her.

"Grandpa just sent me a mail that a surprise person was going to pick me up from school today but I wasn't sure who it would be," Maria confessed. She glanced around.

Kyoko tried to suppress a laugh. "Sorry, Ren isn't with me today," she told her.

Maria did her best not to look too disappointed. Then she looked up as if noticing Kuu for the first time. "Who are you?" she asked bluntly.

"Maria-chan," Kuu began, leaning down to look at her. "You don't remember me?"

She shook her head. "Not really. But you do look kind of familiar."

Kuu looked away, a dark cloud forming around him as he moped at not being remembered.

"This is Hizuri-san. He's a very famous actor who used to work for LME. And he's very close friends with your grandfather," Kyoko explained.

Maria watched the way that Kuu was moping and nodded. "He certainly acts like he's friends with him," she commented.

Kyoko giggled and the two girls climbed into the waiting car. Kuu followed and drove them to a nearby ice cream shop. "You girls have fun," he told them as they exited the car. He handed Kyoko some money. "Just call me when you finish and we can give Maria-chan a ride home."

Kyoko nodded, and watched as Kuu drove away.

"Why did he give you money?" Maria asked, curiously. Her eyes widened. "Does Hizuri-san like you, Onee-san?"

Kyoko shook her head frantically. "No, nothing like that." She paused and her face changed to reflect a happiness that she normally only showed when it concerned her few close people. "Rather, he is like a father to me. He's very, very kind."

Maria took her hand. As long as he was someone who made her big sister happier, she figured he must be a good person. Although she couldn't shake the feeling that their was something familiar about him.

Kyoko smiled down at her, "Should we go see what flavors they have?"

She nodded and the two girls hurried into the shop.

* * *

It wasn't until both girls had nearly finished their desserts that Kyoko decided to bring up the reason for the meeting. Now, feeling nervous, she tried to figure out how to start.

"Maria-chan?"

The younger girl looked at her and nodded.

"I wanted to ask you a favor." Kyoko began, "As I hope you know, you are a very important person for both me and Ren."

Maria blushed at the kind words.

"We would like for you to be one of my bridesmaids in the wedding ceremony."

Maria was silent as her mouth dropped open and it took a moment for Kyoko to notice that tears had sprung to the young girl's eyes. She quickly wiped them away, not wanting to be seen crying.

"I… I was worried that… now that my two favorite people were getting married, you guys wouldn't need me anymore," she whispered the words, as if she were only talking to herself. But then she looked up at Kyoko, "So I'm really happy that you want me in your wedding."

Kyoko pulled her into a tight hug. _She is so cute sometimes!_ She thought as she hugged Maria.

They both laughed, each feeling more at ease now that the request had been asked and answered.

"I'm going to be going soon to pick out the material for my bridal kimono and after that I'll need to bring you and the others to get fitted for your kimonos as well." Kyoko mused.

"Who else are your bridesmaids?" Maria asked, then she held up a hand to stop Kyoko from answering. "Wait. I know who one must be, Moko-san, right?"

The older girl laughed. "Yes, Moko-san has agreed to being a bridesmaid. And I'm hoping the other one will be Amamiya-san. But I haven't had the chance to ask her yet."

Maria took her big sister's hand in her own. "Don't worry, I'm sure she'll accept."

Kyoko nodded, "I hope you're right."

* * *

After dropping off Maria at home and greeting the President, Kyoko and Kuu headed home to prepare dinner. They stopped in at the grocery store in the building and purchased some meat and veggies for dinner before heading to the apartment itself.

As Kuu chopped some of the vegetables, Kyoko prepared the rice. They were enjoying a pleasant conversation about work when they heard footsteps enter the apartment. Kyoko quickly moved to the kitchen doorway to greet Ren but stopped when she heard what sounded like arguing.

"Mom, you can't just show up at my photoshoot without warning," Ren was scolding Julie. "How did you even know where I'd be?"

Julie pouted at her son. "I simply asked Yashiro-san as a favor." She answered innocently.

 _Yep. She probably threatened him and that's why he looked so terrified the whole ride home,_ Ren thought to himself. He sighed. "I thought you guys were just here to help with the wedding."

"I can't help it. I haven't ever gotten to see my son model professionally." Julie argued. "And I'm sure your father is dying to see you act."

Kuu had joined Kyoko at the kitchen doorway by now and the pair stood silently watching the argument.

"Well, if you want to see my acting feel free to turn on the TV. I'm sure one of my dramas is on." Ren turned and for the first time noticed Kyoko and his dad. He closed his eyes for a moment to calm himself. "I'm going to change," he said, forcing calmness in his voice.

A moment later, Ren had disappeared into his bedroom, leaving an awkward situation for both Kyoko and his parents. Kyoko glanced back and forth between her parents.

Julie sighed, "I'm sorry, Kyoko, maybe I shouldn't have-"

Kyoko shook her head, interrupting her. "No, it's not your fault. And actually, I think he's probably really pleased that you care so much. But maybe he just doesn't know how to show that," she suggested. Then she took a step towards the hall. "I'm going to talk to him," she said, before disappearing into the bedroom.

Kyoko closed the door softly behind her. Ren didn't look up from where he was lying on the bed, eyes closed. She moved over next to the bed and sat down. Her hand wandered to his dark hair and began to gently caress it.

"I'm sorry for arguing with my mom like that. It must've made you feel very awkward," he murmured.

"Maybe a little. But I'm not the one you should be apologizing to," Kyoko replied gently.

Ren opened his eyes at this, looking up at Kyoko from where he was lying. She pulled her hand away and stared at the opposite side of the room. "You know, I really envy you," she said quietly.

He sat up and watched as she continued to speak.

"I've never had parents who cared about what I was doing. Or who were proud of my achievements. And I know it must be hard when you're the one dealing with it," she paused, "But I think you are really lucky to have such loving parents."

He kicked himself mentally. Of course, she was right. It had been hard on him. Adjusting to having his parents around so suddenly. Especially considering he kept feeling like he was fifteen again every time he spoke with them. But that wasn't fair to any of them.

 _Not to my parents, not to Kyoko, and not to me,_ he told himself.

Finally understanding at least some of the uncaring actions he had taken and words he had used, he pulled Kyoko close to him and kissed her head. "I'm sorry, again. I didn't think about how selfish I was being. I think," he sighed, "I think I'm just unsure how to act with them now."

Kyoko looked up at him with a small smile on her lips. "Don't you think they're probably the same way? It's been a long time since they've gotten to be your parents. Maybe they're just overdoing it a bit."

Ren laughed, and kissed Kyoko's lips, before rising from the bed. "Shall we head back out there?"

Kyoko followed him back into the living room and then, when they didn't find his parents there, Kyoko led him into the kitchen.

Kuu was placing the meal into serving dishes that Julie had begun to lay out on the table. They looked up at the sound of the younger couple entering the room.

Julie took a step towards her son and opened her mouth, but Ren stopped her. "Please, let me speak first."

She nodded to him and he continued speaking. "I'm sorry for my behavior earlier. I've been rude and disrespectful to you as my parents. I think," he paused, glancing down, "Maybe I forgot what it's like to have my parents around. To have you being interested in my life. And I know I need to learn how to deal with it properly."

Julie hurried forward, hugging her son tightly. "Don't worry. We understand. Your father reminded me that I might push you away if I'm too clingy," she told him, her eyes wet with tears.

Kuu took a step forward and placed a hand on his wife's shoulder. "And as much as I would like to see your acting in person," he said with a smile, "We don't want to get in the way of your work."

Ren chuckled at his father's teasing, "I don't see any harm in planning a day for you to see me act," he muttered.

The conversation from there turned to lighter things as they enjoyed their dinner. After dinner, the four talents, moved to the living room to discuss the wedding.

"We asked the President if we could use his office for our first official planning meeting tomorrow night," Ren told his parents. "We figured, we couldn't leave the president out of it or he might become depressed."

"That's true," Kuu agreed with a laugh.

"Do you need to do anything else to get ready for the meeting?" Julie asked.

Kyoko nodded, "I still have to ask the last girl to be my bridesmaid, so that she can be there as well."

"And I still have to ask two more people regarding being in the wedding as well," Ren added. "I think I should be able to ask them tomorrow though."

"I was thinking the same thing regarding Amamiya-san."

Kuu smiled at the young couple. "Well, it sounds as though you two have things going well." He stood up from his seat. "And as it's getting late, I think we should be heading back to the hotel." He said the last part while looking at his wife who seemed unhappy with his decision.

Julie sighed dramatically, but stood to her feet. "Fine, but first," her eyes landed on Kyoko. "I need to talk to Kyoko about something." She grabbed Kyoko and pulled her into the kitchen leaving the men alone in the living room.

Kuu chuckled at his wife's actions. "I guess she still can't get over the excitement of having a daughter."

Ren smiled. It felt good to know how well his parents had accepted Kyoko, and while their attention to him might feel like too much, it was exactly what Kyoko needed.

"Since we have a few minutes," Kuu began, "There's actually something I wanted to discuss with you."

* * *

Back in the kitchen, Julie leaned against the counter, while Kyoko stood uncertainly in front of her.

"W-what was it you wanted to talk to me about?" Kyoko asked, nervously.

Julie laughed realizing she had startled her new daughter. "I'm sorry, Kyoko. I didn't mean to scare you. It's nothing bad, really." She paused. "Why don't we sit down for a minute?" she asked, gesturing to the dining table.

They both sat and Kyoko waited to see what the topic of discussion was going to be.

"I wanted to know, dear," Julie started, "If you've set an appointment to get your wedding kimono. Kuon mentioned you were wearing kimonos."

Kyoko's eyes widened in surprise. "Oh! Um, no, I haven't scheduled anything yet."

Julie looked happy to hear this. "Great! Well, when you do, I'd really love, if you'd allow me to go with you."

Kyoko's face lit up at this statement. She nodded eagerly. "Of course! You'd be more than welcome to come along. In fact, I'd be very grateful if you would. I'm sure I could use your advice when deciding fabrics."

The older woman nodded decisively. "Then my fashion sense and I are at your service."

* * *

Out in the living room, Ren stared at his dad. Ren was unsure what Kuu was about to say to him but his face had turned serious.

"I wanted to see," Kuu began, "If you've thought at all about revealing your real name to the people of Japan."

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you so much to anyone still reading this fic after a year and a half of no updates. A lot of stuff happened in my life that caused me to have to take a break from writing and I promised myself I wouldn't start updating this again until I could commit to updating on a regular basis. This story will be updating the 2nd and 4th Monday of every month. I still have plans for more parts to the series as well. So, thank you for your patience! I hope you enjoyed the new chapter! And a welcome to any new readers (hopefully you've gone and read the first several parts to this series.**

 **See you again soon!**

 **~marauderluverz**


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hi everyone! Sorry it's a day late. I had to reread parts of the manga for this one since its been a while since I've read the whole thing. I hope you all enjoy! See you again for chapter 7. Let me know what you think.**

 **~marauderluverz**

* * *

Chapter 6: Facing Your Past

Ren stared up at the ceiling as he lay in the dark. He could hear Kyoko's soft steady breathing beside him as she slept soundly in their bed. Usually, the sound would calm him enough to help him fall asleep but tonight, there was too much on his mind.

" _I wanted to see," Kuu had said, "If you've thought at all about revealing your real name to the people of Japan."_

If he was being honest, the thought hadn't crossed his mind until now. He had been satisfied with simply having Kyoko know the truth. _But the idea of telling everyone? That's a little overwhelming._ How would his fans react to knowing his real identity? Would his father's name still affect his career? There were just so many things to consider. Could he handle the sudden criticism of his career over the last several years? Would people suspect favoritism had played a part in him becoming the top actor of LME? _Well, it did. It is what helped me make my new name here._

He sighed, running a hand across his face. Had even his new start been solely because of his dad? Surely Lory wouldn't have allowed it if he had no talent. Would he? And even if Lory had, any subsequent roles Would be been due to his own merit. Wouldn't they?

He groaned as he felt a headache forming behind his eyes. Rolling onto his side, he watched Kyoko's sleeping face. _Although, if I do change it then we could discuss what last name she wants to go by. She could have my parents last name and feel more like a daughter to them._

He glanced at his clock and groaned. "I need to sleep," he muttered. The clock showed it was already nearing 4:00AM. He forced his eyes shut and waited for sleep to come, trying to push away the anxiety this decision was giving him.

* * *

Kyoko pulled her hat down lower on her head and tugged up the collar of her trench coat. With her sunglasses on, she was almost impossible to recognize. She had asked to borrow her detective outfit from the agency specifically for this purpose. Of course, she did still have to provide her identification at the front desk when checking in but as she sneaked through the halls of the television studio, she was happy to not be bothered by anyone asking about her and Ren's relationship. Aside from a few strange looks, her disguise seemed to be working and within a few minutes she had reached her destination.

She looked around the corner and waited several moments in silence. After about two and a half minutes, the door opened and Chiori's manager exited the room.

"I'll be back in a few minutes with your tea, Chiori-chan," the older woman called into the room before heading off down the opposite hall.

Kyoko hurried from her hiding place and sneaked along the wall until she reached the door with Chiori's nameplate. She smiled, feeling happy that her friend was doing so well. Lifting her fist, she took a deep breath before knocking.

"Come in," Chiori's voice called through the door.

Kyoko pushed open the door and stepped inside. She saw Chiori sitting on a stool in front of a lighted vanity. The younger girl's eyes landed on her in the reflection and she jumped out of her chair.

"What the hell?" Chiori exclaimed, holding up her phone. "You need to leave or I'll call security."

Kyoko froze, then realized she was still wearing her disguise. "It's okay, Amamiya-san." She pulled off her hat and sunglasses. "It's just me."

Chiori lowered her phone. "Damn, you really scared me there, Kyoko-senpai." She sank back into her seat. "Why are you here? Aren't you really busy with your jobs _and_ planning a wedding?"

Kyoko nodded, twisting her hat back and forth in her hands nervously. _What if I misread our relationship? What if she only purely thinks of me as a senpai in the LoveMe section and nothing else?_

"Kyoko-san?"

She jumped. "Ah, uh, yes. I came to ask you… well," she closed her eyes, "Would you do me the favor of being one of my bridesmaids?" She peaked out at Chiori watching her face for some reaction.

Chiori's eyes were wide as she stared at Kyoko. Her cheeks had tinged slightly pink. "You- you want me to be in your wedding?" she asked.

Kyoko smiled, "You are one of my closest friends, Amamiya-san. And we are LoveMe section sisters." She winked at the younger girl.

Chiori laughed, "You say that like it's an official title."

Kyoko laughed along with her. "So, will you?"

Chiori grinned, "Yeah. I'll be your bridesmaid. Is Kotonami-senpai your maid of honor?"

Pushing a strand of hair behind her ear, Kyoko blushed, "Yes. She accepted the role when I asked. And Maria-chan is going to be a bridesmaid as well."

"Then it sounds like things are coming along well. Do you think it'll be everything you ever wanted?"

"I don't know about that," Kyoko said, tapping her chin in thought, "I think if I asked for everything I'd want in a dream wedding, I'd bankrupt Ren."

Chiori nodded, "You do kind of have a lot of fantasies, don't you?" She tilted her head as though she had just remembered something. "So, then is Ren paying for the wedding? What about either of your families?"

A dark cloud formed over Kyoko's head that made Chiori regret her question but it dispersed the next moment. "Oh," Kyoko's face lit up. "Actually, Re- I mean, my show-biz parents flew in recently. They are only helping with planning and such. I wouldn't dream of asking them to help financially."

"Well, maybe the president will pay for it. He's always wanting to throw parties. And I think you and Ren are his favorite people at the agency."

Kyoko waved her hands in front of herself. "Oh, no. Nothing like that. Ren maybe, but I wouldn't say I'm-"

"Kyoko-san," Chiori said, stopping her mid-rant. "It's okay to let people praise you. No one thinks anything of it. And the people who do, really aren't important."

Kyoko smiled again, "Right. Sorry, I forget that still sometimes."

"Besides, everyone knows by now how talented you are."

Kyoko hurried forward and hugged Chiori tightly. "Thanks, Amamiya-san." She pulled back and placed her hat back on her head. "Oh, and there's the first planning meeting tonight in the President's office at LME. If you can make it, it starts at 7:30. I'll let you get back to work now." She pushed open the door and waved good-bye before disappearing into the hall.

She skipped down the hall humming happily, leaving a very concerned Yoshimoto-san in her wake.

* * *

"Go ahead and take a fifteen minute break while we get the equipment moved for the next shots," the assistant photographer said before stepping away to speak with the other models.

Yukia sighed and stepped away from the set up in front of a large tree and toward the water table. James appeared in front of him a moment later holding out a cold water bottle. "Thanks," Yukia said, accepting the drink.

James smiled at him. "Of course. How did you feel about the first set?"

Yukia swallowed a gulp of water. "It was fine. I'm just really nervous still since this is my first photo shoot with other models." He glanced toward where a couple of other models were talking.

James placed a gentle hand on his arm. "Don't worry. You are doing fine." He pulled his hand back and gestured to where a trailer was waiting nearby. "Why don't you rest in your trailer during the break?"

"That sounds like a good idea. The wind and pollen aren't doing anything good for my allergies." Yukia followed him to the trailer and stepped inside while James held the door. He startled though to see that the trailer was not empty.

"Ren-san?" he exclaimed. He heard James' footsteps behind him as his manager entered the trailer.

"Ren-san, what're you doing here?" James asked. He pulled out his phone and began to check it. "I'm sorry if we had a meeting and I forgot."

Ren laughed, standing from his seat. "No, I'm sorry. I didn't schedule anything. I just needed to speak with both of you and checked with the president about your schedule today. It just worked out that I was free during a photo shoot."

James' shoulders relaxed and he put away his phone. "Oh, perfect. Yukia has been so busy the last few weeks that I worried I'd missed something." He sat down on a bench opposite Ren and Yukia followed.

"So, what brings you here, Ren-san?" Yukia asked once they were all seated.

"I was in the area and wanted to check in. How is the modeling going?"

Yukia looked down at his water bottle. "Well, James said I'm doing fine but I think he's just being too nice."

"Well, if you'd like, I have some time. I'd be more than happy to stay and give you some tips afterwards," Ren offered.

"You'd do that?" Yukia grinned. "That would be really great! Thank you." He bowed his head in appreciation.

"But, I do also have a request to make of both of you." Ren shifted his legs in a way that might have been nervousness had it been anyone else.

"How can we help? I hope no one's been bothering Kyoko-chan again," James said.

Ren shook his head. "No, nothing like that. It's just… I was hoping that the two of you would consider being groomsmen for the wedding."

"In the wedding?" Yukia was positively beaming. "We'd be more than happy to. Right, James?"

James nodded, "Definitely. Just let us know anything we can do to help."

"The first thing would just be if you are available tonight at 7:30 we will be having a meeting in the president's office." Ren ran a hand through his hair.

"Are you doing okay, Ren-san?" Yukia leaned forward, observing the older man. "You seem like you have a lot on your mind."

Ren sighed, "Is it that obvious?" he leaned back against his seat. "Actually, there is something. My parents are in the country for the wedding. I'm sure Kyoko mentioned it?"

Yukia nodded.

"My father suggested I consider revealing my real name to the public."

James gave an understanding smile. "And if that were an easy decision, you wouldn't have needed a stage name to begin with."

"Exactly. I'm just concerned for the way it could change my life." Ren paused, "Mine and Kyoko's. It's not just about me anymore I guess." He gave a hollow laugh. "I'm just not sure how to decide something like that."

Yukia looked thoughtful. "Then, I guess you're lucky that you don't have to decide it on your own."

Ren's eyes widened. "You're right. I need to talk to her about it. It's half her decision anyway." He groaned. "I don't know why I didn't think of that before."

"We tend to miss the obvious when we're stressed," James said, his eyes twinkling. He pulled out his phone. "Now, you said that meeting was at 7:30? That shouldn't be a problem."

"Thank you." Ren stood, holding out a hand first to shake James' and then Yukia's hand. "You both have been a lot of help to Kyoko and I. I'm glad that we had the pleasure of befriending you."

* * *

Kyoko paced nervously in front of the elevator at LME. She had arrived at the president's floor several minutes early and was waiting for Ren to arrive. This was it. This was the first meeting for planning her wedding. For planning something she had once only imagined happening with Sho.

That would have certainly happened at his family's inn, and would have been a modest event with Shotaro's family and friends of his parents. Now that she thought about it, a wedding with him wouldn't have included anybody for her. Back in Kyoto, she hadn't had any friends and pretty much no family. It was such a stark contrast to her new family and friends in Tokyo.

 _Now I have Father and Julie. The president and Maria. Moko and Amamiya-san. Yashiro-san. Yukia-kun and James-san._

There was a ding as the elevator opened and her head whipped up to see who its passengers were. Yashiro and Ren emerged from the elevator, though Yashiro seemed to notice her first as Ren appeared to be in deep thought.

"Kyoko-chan, why are you crying?" he exclaimed, clearly worried.

Ren responded immediately to these words and stepped to her in one smooth movement. "What happened?"

Kyoko wiped at her face. "No, it's nothing. I'm sorry to worry you. I didn't even realize I was crying." She smiled to reassure them. "Honestly, they were happy tears."

Yashiro nodded to Ren. "I'll go let the president know we've arrived. You come in when you are ready."

Once he was gone, Ren lead Kyoko to a nearby bench. "Really, are you okay?" he asked, holding her hand tightly.

She looked up at him, feeling her heart warm at the sight of him watching her so intently. "I'm fine. I was just thinking."

"About what?"

"About us. And about all the friends I've made since first coming to Tokyo. It makes me happy to think I have so many people who care about me." Kyoko picked at the edge of her skirt.

Ren loosened his grip on her hand and instead pulled her into his embrace. "Well, I certainly never like to see you crying," he whispered into her hair, "but I'm glad those were the reasons."

Kyoko pulled back, grinning. "What? You didn't think I suddenly decided not to marry you, did you?" she teased.

He forced a fake smile onto his face. "Of course not."

She laughed, "Oh, Kuon." She leaned up and pressed a kiss against his lips. "I could never change my mind about you. You're what makes it all perfect."

He leaned in for another kiss. "And you make my life perfect."

She fought to keep down a blush and pushed forward to meet him, capturing his lips once again. Sure, they had a meeting to get to. But their quiet moments together were so rare they deserved to enjoy it for just a few minutes.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: A New Acquaintance

Yukihito cleared his throat as he watched his favorite couple cuddling outside of the president's office. They looked up then and he chuckled as Kyoko blushed.

"Yes?" Ren asked.

"The president said we could head inside now. Your parents have already arrived," the manager explained.

Kyoko nodded, "Of course! Let's head inside. Moko said she'd be here and Amamiya-san messaged me that she would have to hear about it tomorrow. She's busy tonight."

Ren followed behind her. "Yukia-kun and James-san should be here shortly as well."

They stepped inside and were immediately greeted by Julie. Within the time it took Kyoko to blink, she was being hugged by a whirlwind of blonde hair.

"Kyoko-chan, how are you doing?" Kuu asked from his spot near the president's desk. He approached his children with a smile as his wife moved on to hug her son.

Kyoko smiled, "Doing well." Her face felt warm. It seemed strange for a parent to shower their child with so much affection when they had seen each other only the day before. She tilted her head toward the president. "Good evening, President. Thank you again for the use of your office."

The president gave her an excited grin as he rubbed his hands together. "Of course, Kyoko-chan. How else could I ensure that I will get to be included in such an anticipated event?"

Kuu patted Lory's shoulder, "Now, now, let's not get ahead of ourselves. We all know how out of hand your parties can get."

Lory pouted at his friend. His face shifted to a smile though as the doors opened again and Kanae entered with Yukia and James. He bounded over to them and greeted each of them in turn.

"Welcome! Now that everyone's here, shall we sit?" Lory asked. He gestured to the couches in the center of the room and everyone moved to find their seats.

"Thank you so much for coming," Kyoko said, sitting beside Kanae.

The other girl shrugged. "I wasn't busy. Plus, it is important that I attend the planning meetings. Where's Amamiya-san?"

"She had a prior engagement and we agreed it would be best to not have Maria-chan attend until later since she might find a lot of it boring," Kyoko explained.

Kanae nodded, "That makes sense. I guess there is a lot to go over. I remember when my sister got married." She scowled at the memory. "But never mind that. Do you know what we are discussing tonight?"

Kyoko shook her head. She glanced at Ren who had sat next to her but was facing the other way. He was currently talking to Yukia while James spoke with Yashiro. It made her feel happy to see all her loved ones together.

There was a clap and they all turned to see the president standing near his desk. His assistant, Sebastian (as Kyoko called him) stood by his side along with another man whom Kyoko had never met before.

"Now that we are ready to begin, I wanted to introduce somebody to the bride and groom." Lory gestured to the man nearby. "This is Fukuda Hisoka. He is a wedding planner and his services are my first gift to the young couple."

Hisoka stepped forward. He was a well-dressed man who looked to be in his mid-thirties. He had styled light brown hair and serious gray eyes. "Good evening. I look forward to working with both of you." He reached out and held Kyoko by the hand, offering her a small smile before turning to Ren and offering him the same smile with a handshake. "Do you know anything of what type of wedding you want?"

Kyoko and Ren looked at each other uncertainly. "Well," Ren began, "we are wanting to keep a lot of the ceremony traditional, but the reception could probably be more western."

Hisoka nodded and immediately produced a pocket notebook that had cherry blossoms across the front. He flipped it open and began to make notes. "And I presume that the people in attendance currently are to be involved in the wedding?"

Kyoko spoke up then, "Kotonami-san, Yashiro-san, James-kun, and Yukia-kun, are all in the wedding party as well as two others who were not able to make it tonight."

The wedding planner did not look up as he continued writing. "Perhaps afterwards, you could assist me with everyone's names and contact information."

"Of course." Kyoko's leg bounced as she tried to calm her nerves. What if she didn't have all the answers or know the things needed for a wedding?

"The president and I had some thoughts regarding the reception," Kuu interjected and the president began to bounce excitedly.

"Yes, we have lots of ideas to make it perfect," he added.

Hisoka paused his writing to rub his right temple. "I think it would be best if I met with the bride and groom first to get a better idea of what is needed from me."

The president pouted and slung an arm around the younger man's shoulders. "You never were any fun, Hisoka-kun."

Hisoka shrugged off his arm. "This is business. Not fun." He turned to focus on Kyoko again. "Would I be able to schedule some time with the two of you to make further arrangements?"

"I'm sure we should be able to…" Kyoko turned to look at Yashiro.

His eyes widened and he coughed, swiftly pulling out two planners. "I can go over their schedules with you, Fukuda-san." The manager rose and stepped away with Hisoka to the president's desk.

Beside Kyoko, Kanae leaned over. "What do you think of him?" she whispered.

Kyoko watched the man in question from across the room. "He seems… nice?"

"I don't know." Yukia muttered, leaning around Ren to talk to both of the girls. "He seems kind of strict."

"Strict isn't necessarily a bad thing," Ren added. "Sometimes discipline is needed in order to accomplish something important. Such as a wedding."

Yukia shrugged. "I still don't know if I like him. A wedding should be fun."

Kyoko bit her lip. Yukia _was_ right. A wedding should be fun. And she did want her friends' opinions included in the planning, but- "Well, we shouldn't judge him until we've seen his work. It's better to not go off of first impressions."

"Yeah," Kanae said, nudging Kyoko with her elbow. "If I had gone off of first impressions, I would still hate you."

"I guess you're right. I hadn't thought of it like that," Yukia admitted thoughtfully.

Ren leaned closer to Kyoko's face and spoke into her ear. "Are you okay with this? If you decide you don't think it will work to use him we can always tell the president."

Kyoko nodded. "I'd like to see how our meeting with him goes before deciding."

Ren squeezed her hand. "Then that's what we'll do."

* * *

It took three days to be able to sit down at a meeting with Hisoka. It was decided that the easiest way to have their meeting was for Hisoka to come to their apartment before work. Kyoko busied herself with preparing tea and some cakes for them to enjoy during their talk. She just hoped Hisoka liked sweets.

The doorbell rang with unsurprising punctuality and Ren showed the wedding planner into the dining room where Kyoko was waiting. He bowed in greeting.

"Good morning, Mogami-san."

Kyoko quickly bowed in return. "Good morning, Fukuda-san. Please sit. Would you like some tea?"

He took his seat opposite Ren and Kyoko. "Yes, thank you."

Once tea and cakes were served, Hisoka set his notebook on the table along with a pen. Kyoko could see that though the notebook appeared to be brand new, there were several pages already filled with writing.

"Now, Takarada-san had provided me with a wedding date of November 5th. Is that correct?" he asked.

Ren nodded. "Yes, I know that doesn't leave a lot of time."

Hisoka hummed, checking a small calendar page that had been inserted into the notebook. "About nine weeks. We can make that work." He circled the date on the calendar, then looked up at the young couple before him. "Now then, I want to know what you both want for your wedding. This is about the two of you and no one else. What matters to you?"

Kyoko could feel her inner spirits buzzing with excitement. She urged herself not to let out all of the energy at once. No need to scare Hisoka. She took a moment to compose herself before speaking. "I know who I would like to create the kimonos and any other outfits for the wedding. She has designed for me before and did stunning work." She held out a business card to him. "I have an appointment scheduled with her for this Monday morning."

Hisoka placed the business card inside of the his notebook and jotted down the scheduled appointment. "What time is the appointment for?"

Kyoko checked her phone calendar. "I'm supposed to arrive at nine thirty."

"And Julie-san is going with you?" Ren asked, careful not to refer to Julie as his mother.

Kyoko nodded. "That is the plan. Father is going to drive us there."

Hisoka continued to make notes. "Would it be an inconvenience for me to join you at your appointment? It would help me to get a better idea of what type of wedding we are planning and give me the opportunity to find out the timeline for your clothes being completed."

"Of course! I'd be happy to have you join us."

"Perfect. And did you have someone in mind for any of the other jobs? I have trusted vendors I can ask to make your cake, perform music, and photograph the wedding."

"Were you wanting to ask Woods-san to do your hair and make-up?" Ren asked, remembering something Kyoko had mentioned the night before.

Kyoko waved her hands around. "Oh, no. I'm sure she's too busy. I wouldn't want to bother her."

Hisoka looked at them eyebrows pulled together trying to understand. "Mogami-san, is Woods-san someone you wanted to do your hair and make-up?"

Kyoko blushed, "I may have mentioned it to Ren, but I know how busy she is."

Ren placed a hand on Kyoko's shoulder. "You can contact Woods-san through the President. She is good friends with us and I'm sure if she's able to, she would love to do it."

Kyoko glanced at Ren before nodding sheepishly. "That will be fine then."

"As for colors or theme, did you have anything in mind?"

Kyoko twisted her ring on her finger under the table. "I have a few ideas in mind, but I wanted to pick out the colors for my kimono first before deciding."

There was a nod from the wedding planner. Then he flipped to the next page of his planner and began to write down notes for the reception. "And what were your thoughts for the reception?"

"Actually," Ren answered, "we would like to leave the reception planning to the President and Hizuri-san."

There was the sound of ripping paper as the pen tore through one of the pages Hisoka was writing on. He looked up at Ren while fixing his paper. "And," he cleared his throat. "Are you wanting to leave everything to them? Or did you have any requests?"

Kyoko could see the tight expression on Hisoka's face. She had noticed it at their previous meeting as well. _It seems like he doesn't care for the President very much. But then, why would he agree to take a job from him?_

"We trust them to make the decisions for everything there."

Hisoka made a couple more notes at Ren's words and voiced no objection to working with the other two men. "Very well then. It looks like I have all the information I need. I will contact Yashiro-san if I need to work something into your schedules and will let you know once I've found anything I think might work. Unless you have any other questions, I will see you next week."

* * *

Kyoko waited nervously outside of her apartment building Monday morning. Today was her first fitting with Miki for her kimono and reception dress. As well as her appointment to pick out fabrics for all of the other kimonos. _And I'll be spending the whole morning with Julie-san. What if I say or do something to offend her?_

She thought back to Ren's words to her that morning before he left to pick up Yashiro.

" _Kyoko, my love, will you please stop worrying. My parents love you." He laughed, "My dad loves you more than he loves me." He pulled her into a tight hug, her face flush against his chest. She felt warm and happy. Her anxieties melting away._

Until now. When she stood waiting for the car to arrive. Now her anxieties had frozen and formed back into the little snow-demons they were. She shivered, despite the still warm September weather.

"Kyoko-chan!"

She whipped around instantly at the voice and spotted the car that had pulled up in front of the building. In the driver's seat sat Kuu and Julie was beside him. She hurried to the car, not wanting to keep them waiting.

"Good morning," she greeted, climbing into the backseat behind Kuu. "Thank you for driving me to my appointment," she turned to Julie, "and for coming with me."

"Don't forget Kyoko," the older woman said, "You are doing me the favor of letting me come with you. I just love weddings and since you are our only daughter, it'll be thrilling to help you pick out your kimono."

Kyoko could feel the warmth returning. Maybe she didn't have to try so hard to make Julie like her.

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you for reading! Since I'm no longer on a set update schedule, you can follow me on Tumblr (OtakuPrincess15) or Twitter ( marauderluverz) for more info, sneak peaks, and to ask me questions. Love all my followers!**

 **~marauderluverz**


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